How much do most retirees live on?

Asked by: Darrick Corwin Sr.  |  Last update: November 12, 2025
Score: 4.1/5 (60 votes)

The average household retirement income in the United States is $27,617, according to an analysis by Wisevoter of data from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey. However, depending on where you live, your local average may be much higher or lower.

What is considered a good monthly retirement income?

Let's say you consider yourself the typical retiree. Between you and your spouse, you currently have an annual income of $120,000. Based on the 80% principle, you can expect to need about $96,000 in annual income after you retire, which is $8,000 per month.

What percentage of retirees have over $1 million?

Just 16% of retirees say they have more than $1 million saved, including all personal savings and assets, according to the recent CNBC Your Money retirement survey conducted with SurveyMonkey. In fact, among those currently saving for retirement, 57% say the amount they're hoping to save is less than $1 million.

Do most retirees run out of money?

Nearly half of Americans retiring at 65 risk running out of money, Morningstar finds.

Is $1500 a month good for retirement?

Saving 1500 a month at 23 is fantastic either way and based on your career choice, you are extremely likely to see significant increases in income as time passes. Keep your expenses reasonable, continue saving relatively aggressively and you will likely retire quite comfortably.

How much do most retirees live on?

17 related questions found

Can a retiree live on $3,000 a month?

Top the amount with 401(k) savings, living on $3,000 a month after taxes is possible for a retiree. For those who only have social security benefits to rely on, there are many places where they can retire on their checks both in the USA and around the world.

What is a realistic amount of money to retire with?

The final multiple — 10 to 12 times your annual income at retirement age. If you plan to retire at 67, for instance, and your income is $150,000 per year, then you should have between $1.5 and $1.8 million set aside for retirement.

What is the average income for most retirees?

The median income for Americans 65 and older is $50,290. The mean (average) is $75,020. Average annual expenditures for Americans 65 and older are $57,818. The average Social Security retirement benefit check is $1,907 as of January 2024.

What happens to retired people with no money?

Having no savings means that you will be forced to rely on your Social Security benefits for income in retirement. According to the Social Security Administration (SSA), among Social Security beneficiaries, 12% of men and 15% of women rely on Social Security for 90% or more of their income.

What is the biggest financial mistakes that retirees make?

6 Financial Mistakes You'll Regret When You're Older
  1. Not saving enough. ...
  2. Avoiding the stock market. ...
  3. Claiming Social Security benefits too early. ...
  4. Spoiling the kids and grandkids. ...
  5. Getting bad advice. ...
  6. Ignoring long-term care.

What is considered wealthy in retirement?

Rich retirees: In the 90th percentile, with net worth starting at $1.9 million, this group has much more financial freedom and is able to afford luxuries and legacy planning.

Does net worth include home?

Your net worth is what you own minus what you owe. It's the total value of all your assets—including your house, cars, investments and cash—minus your liabilities (things like credit card debt, student loans, and what you still owe on your mortgage).

How many people have $3000000 in savings?

Probably 1 in every 20 families have a net worth exceeding $3 Million, but most people's net worth is their homes, cars, boats, and only 10% is in savings, so you would typically have to have a net worth of $30 million, which is 1 in every 1000 families.

What is the $1000 a month rule for retirement?

The $1,000 per month rule is designed to help you estimate the amount of savings required to generate a steady monthly income during retirement. According to this rule, for every $240,000 you save, you can withdraw $1,000 per month if you stick to a 5% annual withdrawal rate.

What is the average Social Security check at age 65?

According to data from the Social Security Administration, as of January 2024, the average monthly retirement benefit payment was $1,909.01, which comes to about $22,322 per year.

How much does the average retired couple live on per month?

As of 2022, the average monthly benefit amount from Social Security for couples was $2,739.10. That works out to about $32,868 in annual income. Of course, the income that you can expect to receive depends a lot on your circumstances.

What do seniors do when they run out of money?

Downsize or Sell Assets

Selling the house or downsizing are the practical, popular solution for seniors to finance their senior care and future expenses when they are short on funds.

What do poor people do for retirement?

Older adults with lower incomes have a number of financial options available to help in retirement. Programs such as Medicare, Social Security, food stamps, Medicaid, and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) are available to those who qualify.

How many people retire with no savings?

20 percent of adults ages 50 and over have no retirement savings at all. 61 percent are worried they will not have enough money to support themselves in retirement. Perhaps most startling, only 40 percent of men who are regularly saving for retirement believe they are saving enough. For women the number is 30 percent.

What is a livable retirement income?

A good monthly retirement income is typically 80% of pre-retirement income; advisors often suggest a range between 70% and a more conservative 90%. Median income for households headed by someone over 65 was $50,290, or $4,191 per month, in 2022 according to the U.S. Census Bureau. U.S. Census Bureau.

What does the average American retire with?

The typical American has an average retirement savings of $489,170. Americans in their 60s have the most saved for retirement with average balances close to $1.2 million. Average account balances more than double between those in their 20s vs their 30s.

What is a good net worth to retire?

According to Paces Ferry Wealth Advisors, your net worth should equal six times your annual salary by this age. So, if your annual salary is $100,000, a net worth of around $600,000 would be on track for a comfortable retirement.